Apply to Become a Sustainable Contractor

Step 1: Requirements

To apply for Sustainable Contractor Designation, you must:

  • Have an electronic copy of your certificate(s) ready to upload to the Department; and
  • Have a Department eFiling account. If you do not have an eFiling account, please register to create an account.

Step 2: Qualifications

To obtain Sustainable Contractor Designation, you must:

  • Have one of the following active license(s)/registration(s):
    • General Contractor Registration (1-, 2-, or 3-family home);
    • Master/ Special Electrician; or
    • Master Plumber; and
  • Have current insurance information

Step 3: Certification/Credentials

To obtain Sustainable Contractor Designation, you must have at least one of the below certifications/credentials corresponding to your license type.

License Type Organization/Website Certification/Partnership
General Contractor - 1, 2, 3 Family Home American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) High-Performance Building Design Professional
Building Performance Institute (BPI) Certified Professional
Energy Star Multi-Family Home Builder
Single-Family Home Builder
Green Advantage Green Advantage Certified - Commercial/Residential
Green Advantage Certified - Residential
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Certified Green Professional Designation (CGP)
Master Certified Green Professional Designation (Master CGP)
Passive House Institute US Certified Passive House Consultants
RESNET Energy Smart Contractors
U.S. Green Building Council LEED AP Homes
LEED AP Interior Design & Construction
Urban Green Council, USGBC NY GPRO – Construction Management
Master Plumber American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) High-Performance Building Design Professional
Operations & Performance Management Professional
Green Advantage Green Advantage Certified - Commercial
Green Advantage Certified - Commercial/Residential
Green Advantage Certified - Residential
North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Solar Thermal Installer Certification
Passive House Institute US Certified Passive House Consultants
U.S. Green Building Council LEED AP Building Design & Construction
LEED AP Homes
LEED AP Interior Design & Construction
LEED AP Interior Design & Construction
Urban Green Council, USGBC NY GPRO – Construction Management
GPRO – Plumbing
Master/Special Electrician American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Building Energy Assessment Professional
High-Performance Building Design Professional
Operations & Performance Management Professional
Association of Energy Engineers Certified Building Commissioning Professional
Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional
Existing Building Commissioning Professional
Green Advantage Green Advantage Certified - Commercial
Green Advantage Certified - Commercial/Residential
Green Advantage Certified - Residential
North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) PV Installer Certification
Small Wind Installer Certification
Passive House Institute US Certified Passive House Consultants
U.S. Green Building Council LEED AP Homes
LEED AP Interior Design & Construction
LEED AP Operations & Maintenance
Urban Green Council, USGBC NY GPRO – Construction Management
GPRO – Electrical

Step 4: How to Apply

To apply for a Sustainable Contractor Designation, you must:

  • Login to your eFiling account to access the online application.
  • Complete and submit the online application
  • Upload all necessary forms – after submitting your online application, you will be redirected to the certificate upload form. Fill out the form, including all the required information and upload your certification/credential(s).

*Note: If you are an Energy Star Builder, you will be required to upload a copy of the list from the Energy Star website where it indicates your business name as an active partner.*

Once you have submitted the certificate upload form, you will receive an email from the Department's Licensing Unit confirming your submission. The Licensing Unit will then review your forms and certification/credential(s). This process takes approximately 2-3 weeks. After your review is complete, you will receive an email with your status:

  • If you are denied, you may contact the Licensing Unit for more information
  • If you are approved, your designation and certificate information will appear on your BISWeb online profile. The designation will appear on your new license card at your next renewal

For more information, contact the Licensing Unit at (212) 393-2259.

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